Sunday, May 09, 2010

It's common for people at all levels of a company, and in all company departments, to comment on the usability of the product or company web site and give suggestions on how to improve it.

Why? Here's a clue. I wrote in late 2005 that:

Most people, including executives, consider much of marketing to be common sense. We're all consumers, so we all know how we respond to products, names, logos, advertisements, and PR, right? So we're all experts on what works in marketing, no?

The same principle applies to usability. In playing the role of consumer in many aspects of our lives, we use products and web sites, and we know which ones are usable - and perhaps even what makes them usable - right?

Wrong. Just as marketing isn't common sense, usability isn't common sense, and for the same reasons.

Unfortunately, many team members still have a bit of "overconfidence" in their ability to conduct this testing themselves. For example, a favorite idea of executives is to form a focus group, ask members of the group questions about the designs, and possibly ask them for design suggestions. Good product managers and usability experts know this approach is flawed.

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About Me

I'm a downtown Austin dweller with a passion for food, football (playing it, not watching it), knowledge, nutrition, investing, and a low-car lifestyle. In my professional life, I empower teams to make smart product decisions by applying design thinking, lean startup methods, and timeless marketing principles.